Unit 9: Populists and Progressives 1880-1920
Amanda Scott & Rochelle Ragan

Vocabulary

Populism: Commonly referred to as the 'People's Party,' the Populists united in 1891 against the elite classes of society. This party often appealed to the common man, favoring agricultural benefits, regulation of monopolies, and free coinage of silver.
Progressivism: The Progressive party was a new political party formed in the early 1900s that favored economic, political and social reforms. Progressive reforms mainly involved the regulation of big businesses, improvement of working conditions, and recognition of health hazards. The Progressive presidents included Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.
muckrackers: This term applies to journalists and critics in the early 1900s who wrote and published stories that exposed businesses and aspects of politics of their abuse and corruption.
split ticket: This term refers to a ballot cast by a voter who votes for two or more political parties.
municipal reform: This idea was meant to make changes in the government to stand against corruption and political machines by encouraging efficiency and honesty in business. This idea was put into action in the late 1800s.
commission plan: Also known as the Galveston plan, the commission plan was formed in 1901 where voters would elect a governing commission to make up the legislative body responsible for taxing, appropriations, and other general functions.
Triangle Shirtwaist fire: In 1911, the fire at The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory killed 146 of the 500 workers. The high number of deaths raised awareness of dangerous conditions and fire hazards that existed in large business buildings of the time. This incident directly influenced the passing of new building and safety codes shortly after.
16th amendment: Passed in 1913, this amendment gave Congress the right to impose an income tax.
Anti-Saloon League: Formed during the Progressive Era, members of the South and rural North rallied for prohibition of the sale of alcohol in the states. This league began the rebirth of the United States Temperance Movement.
direct primary: Gave voters, rather than party officials, the right to choose primary candidates. Put into effect in 1903.
initiative: Gave voters the right, through petition, to propose a law or constitutional amendment directly to the electorate.
referendum: Allows citizens to refer a law passed by the legislator to the ballot so the voters can enact or repeal it.
recall: Gives citizens the power to recall elected officials and remove them from office through a popular vote.
"17th amendment: Also passed in 1913, this allowed for the direct election of U.S. Senators by the citizens.
Cross of Gold Speech": A speech given by William Jennings Bryan to encourage bimetallism or 'free silver.' Bryan addressed the concerns of the currency system by encouraging this philosophy, which would bring the nation prosperity.
prohibition: The period of time between the passing of the 18th amendment and the 21st amendment, in which the production and sale of alcohol was completely prohibited in the United States. Many opposed this amendment, and this era became popular for smuggling and illegal sale of alcohol.
18th amendment: Amended in 1919, it prohibited the making, selling and transporting of alcohol.
19th amendment: Passed in 1920, this provided for full women's suffrage.
Square Deal: President Roosevelt's domestic programs formed by three basic ideas: conservation of natural resources, control of corporations, and consumer protection. (The Three C's)
Sherman Anti-Trust Act: Congress passed this act to prohibit monopolies, but the program was not efficient in preventing the form of trusts and monopolies.
Clayton Anti-Trust Act: Strengthened the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, it outlawed the creation of monopolies by any means.
Sacco & Vanzetti Case: Taking place during the Red Scare, these Italian immigrants were convicted of murder. The trial is thought to be biased because the jury was against the two atheists.
Teapot Dome Scandal: A scandal compelled by corruption, Senator Fall convinced Denby to give him control of the oil fields. He received secret bribes in return illegally leased the land to a major oil company.
Buying on Margin: The idea of purchasing a stock with little down money and promising to pay the full balance in the future, though this system was a major cause of the stock market crash and the Great Depression.
Hawley-Smoot Tariff: Passed to reduce flow of goods into the United States and created provisions for the exportation of goods out of the States as well.

Significant People

Theodore Roosevelt: President from 1901-1909. Founder of the short-lives bull moose party.
William H. Taft: President from 1909-1913. Emphazized trust-busting, civil service reform, and the passing of the 16th amendment. He used dollar diplomacy to economically develop Latin nations.
Woodrow Wilson:President from 1913-1921. One of the leaders of the progressive movement who succesful pushed progressive reforms that were unmatched until the New Deal
Upton Sinclair: Popular author who wrote famous mucraking novel "The Jungle"which exposed conditions in the US meatpacking industry.
Jacob Riis: Famous muckraking journalist and social documentary photographer, Riis used his talents to expose the atrocities of New York City living.
John D. Rockefeller: Founder of the Standard Oil Company, that dominated the oil industry and was the first great US buisness trust.He used vertical and horizontal integration to become succesful.
Andrew Carnegie: Led the expansion of American steel industry.
Ida M. Tarbell: One of the leading muckraking journalist of the progressive era. Most notable for her book "The History of the Standard Oil Company"
Henry Ford: Founder of the Ford Motor Company, sponsor of the the development of the assembly line and mass production. The model T automobile revolutionized transportation in America
William Randolph Hearst: American newspaper publisher that used yellow journalism as leading way of publication.
Jane Addams: Founder of the Hull settlement house in chicago. Leader in the womens suffrage movement.
William Jennings Bryan: 3 time candidacy for presidency. popular supporter of democracy and enemy of the old standard. Gave a famous "Cross of gold Speech" that advocated the silverite movement
Ida B. Wells: Black journalist and newspaper editor. Destested lynchings in the southern US
Booker T. Washington: Dominant figure in the african american community. Spoke out upon disfranchisement in the south.
W.E.B. DuBois: Leader of the Niagara Movement. Strongly protested against racial discrimination in the South
Eugene V. Debs: Founding leaders of the union IWW. and canidate for the socialist party
Susan B. Anthony: Prominent civil rights leader and played a pivotal role in the women's movement.

Primary Sources

roosevelt_hunt.jpg
Author: Clifford Kennedy Berryman
Place and Time: The United States in 1907
Prior: Roosevelt was known as a trust-buster to the citizens of America, but he did not destroy all of the trusts. He kept those he thought were not threatening to society
Audience: The general American public
Reason: Berryman wanted to show the American public Roosevelt's handle on the trusts in the U.S. and how he had power to regulate good trusts and completely destroy the bad trusts.
The Main Idea: Roosevelt did not hesitate to exercise his power over threatening trusts and monopolies. He was criticized for sparing certain non-threatening trusts, but Berryman was conveying that he and his administration had power over monopolies and were capable of regulating the so-called "good trusts."
Significance: Monopolies were prominent during the Progressive era, and the public was against controlling monopolies that took out small businesses. This cartoon likely gained Roosevelt supporters by portraying him as a trust buster.
external image Kaiser%20Wilson%20sign.jpg
Author: Photo by Harris & Ewing
Place & Time: Outside the White House during World War I
Prior: Before the ratification of the 19th amendment, woman were determined to gain the right to vote.
Audience: President Woodrow Wilson & his administration
Reason: To convince him to ratify the proposed amendment to grant women's suffrage.
The Main Idea: This poster compares President Wilson to Kaiser Wilhelm in Germany because he denied them the right to vote when they proposed the amendment. This poster states that 20,000,000 women are not self-governed and condemns Wilson as hypocritical for intervening in the war to help the Germans but refusing to allow American women the right to vote.
Significance: This protest outside the White House, along with other actions made by women, lead to the eventual ratification of the 19th amendment.
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Author: Jane Addams
Place & Time: Written in urban America, published in 1909
Prior: Addams was popular in the settlement house movement
Audience: Adults during the Progressive Era
Reason: To raise awareness of the discontent of youth in an urban world
The Main Idea: This book focuses on the feelings of youth in a growing industrial era. She expresses the need to give direction to the young through recreation and education of the arts.
Significance: This book contrasts the growing world of business and industry and the impact a purely industrial nation would have on the young, and how it would affect generations to come.
external image jungle-meat-packing-factory.jpg
The Jungle
Author: Upton Sinclair
Place & Time: America published in 1906
Prior: In the early part of the 19th century and the growing industrial era, large businesses were not concerned with the well being of their workers, the safety of the environment, and health hazards
Audience: The public, to expose the wrongdoings of the meat packing industry.
Reason: To depict poverty and social abuses by industry and attempt to persuade the citizens to protest against the abusing industries.
The Main Idea: As a piece of muckraking literature, The Jungle clearly exposes the meatpacking industry as an exploiting industry that abused their workers and safety.
Significance: Due in part to this novel, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act along with the formation of the Food Drug Administrations (FDA) to regulate safety and health codes in industry.

peech by Theodore Roosevelt, February 22nd, 1927

external image Roosevelt-Giving-Speech-001.jpg
"We should be as sure of the proper conduct of the interstate railways and the proper management of interstate business as we are now sure of the conduct and management of the national banks, and we should have as effective supervision in one case as in the other." -Roosevelt's New Nationalism Speech
Author: Theodore Roosevelt
Place & Time: Osawatomie, Kansas on August 31, 1910
Prior: Roosevelt was known for trust busting and regulation of monopolies
Audience: Listeners of the speech and the general public
Reason: To inform listeners of his intention as a Progressive president, explain his reform intentions
The Main Idea: That government should be involved in the business of large industry and have the power to regulate
Significance: His speech on New Nationalism and his reforms to regulate monopolies set the stage for his presidency as well as the presidency of Taft and Wilson to follow.

external image webdubois.jpg
The Crisis by W.E.B. DuBois
A: W.E.B DuBois
P: November of 1910
P: W.E.B dubois fought for the rights of african americans
A: The American Public
R: To express the reasons why black people should be assimilated into society
T:the crisis represents the struggle of african americans in a discriminating society.
S: This book contributed greatly to the Civil Rights movement later on in the century.
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Clayton Antitrust Act, October 15th, 1914
A: Congress of the United States of America
P: October 1, 1890
P: The Sherman Anti-trust act was established years before but was ineffective.
A: The American Public
R: Congress passed this amendment to supplement to clarify and supplement the Sherman Anti Trust Act
T:The act prohibited exclusive sales contracts, local price cutting to freeze out competitors, rebates, interlocking directorates in corporations capitalized at $1 million or more in the same field of business, and intercorporate stock holdings.
S:The Clayton Antitrust Act was the basis for a great many important and much-publicized suits against large corporations

external image JacobRiisSNewYorkChildren_1888_01.jpg
Photo by Jacob Riis
A: Jacob Riis
P: New York City, early 1900's
P: Factory bosses made their workers live in the smallest cramped apartments
A: The American Public
R: to exposes to horrisd living vconditions factory workers were forced to live in
T: Factory workers wored long hours and were not even rewarded with clean living conditions
S: Set the stage for more muckracking authors to expose the social ills of society
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18th Amendment
A: Congress of the United States of America
P:Washington DC in 1919
P: alcohll caused a major problem in major american cities since the begining of America
A: The entire American population
R: To control and restore moral values in America
T: Prohbits the creation and distribution of alcoholic substances
S: Essentially created the mob present in America today
external image ford-model-t22.jpg
The Ford Model T
A: Henry Ford
P: Detroit Michigan ,1908
P: Only the upper class could afford personal transportation
A: The American Public
R: To create a car that everyone could use
T: Affordable car.
S: Revolutionized the system of transportation we have today.


Credible Sites

1. Progressive Era: The Great Age of Reform Gives a detailed overview of reforms made by the Progressive presidents along with descriptions of key things that occurred during the era. Also gives dates and times of important events during the Progressive Era.

2. Women in the Progressive Era Has different sections highlighting key women in the Progressive Era, including Ida M. Tarbell and members of the Women's Christian Temperance Movement, and their significance to Prohibition.

3. Political and Social Reforms This website clearly describes the intentions of Progressive reformers and their successes and failures in addressing these reforms.

4. Progressive Era Reform Clearly identifies key terms and significant people of the Progressive Era. Highlights legislation passed during the era and gives brief descriptions of key pieces of muckraking literature.

5. Progressive Timeline Gives a clear, concise timeline of important events that occurred during the period from 1900-1914. Also links important information that relates to the events of the timeline.

FRQs

Evaluate the effectiveness of the Progressive Era reformers and the federal government in bringing about reform at the national level. In your answer, be sure to analyze the successes and limitations of these efforts in the period of 1900-1920.
  • During the period from 1900-1920, reformers were fairly successful, however there were some inevitable negative responses.
  • Roosevelt, Wilson and Taft (progressive presidents)
  • Successes
    • Women's reform groups
    • Muckrakers - Food & Drug Act
    • Child and Female Labor Laws
    • Purifying government from corruption
    • Trust busting
  • Negative Effects
    • Organized crime and smuggling during Prohibition
    • Government remained influenced by monopolies
    • Small businesses fell to growing monopolies - (Rockefeller, Carnegie, etc)

Compare and contrast the programs and polices designed by reformers of the Progressive era to those designed by reformers of the New Deal period. Confine your answers to programs and policies that addressed the needs of those living in poverty.
  • Progressive Era
    • Social Justice & Settlement House Movements
    • Prohibitio
    • Safety Regulations & Health Hazards
    • Child Labor Laws
    • Women's Suffrage
    • Mainly reforms at social and local level
    • Little to no direct relief
  • New Deal Era
    • First Hundred Days
    • Social Security Act
    • Emergency Banking Relief Act
    • Wagner Act
    • All addressed direct relief
    • Federal reforms
  • Both ignored the civil rights movement for African Americans

Analyze the role that women played in the Progressive Era reforms from the 1880s to 1920. Focus your essay on TWO of the following
Politics
Social Conditions
Labor and working conditions
  • Politics
    • Women in Populist Party
    • Settlement House Activists - Jane Addams
    • Muckrakers in Literature
      • Ida Tarbell History of the Standard Oil Company
      • Helen Hunt Jackson A Century of Dishonor
    • Women's Christian Temperance Union
    • Ratification of the 19th amendment
  • Labor and Working Conditions
    • Women in Knights of Labor - pushed for equal pay
    • National Consumers League - working conditions for women and children
    • Muller vs Oregon emphasized protecting women and children in the workplace
    • Triangle Shirtwaist Fire - protests lead by Frances Kelly

Video Clips


1. The Unfinished Nation: The Progressive Era

2. Theodore Roosevelt Speech: Social & Industrial Justice

3. The Gilded Age & Progressive Reform